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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903512">Bittersweet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClarumSomnium/pseuds/ClarumSomnium'>ClarumSomnium</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Coffee, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Doubt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:20:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,035</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903512</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClarumSomnium/pseuds/ClarumSomnium</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hubert entertains Byleth with a lecture about coffee but their bonding moment is ruined by a misunderstanding. </p><p>Hubert Week Day 4: Bitter/Repression</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>My Unit | Byleth/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hubert Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bittersweet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Having left her sword at the blacksmith’s, Byleth strolled around the Garreg Mach market. It was a relief to see merchants return to the village. Every Sunday more of them arrived, taking advantage of the trade routes controlled by the Imperial Army. Wooden stalls were heavy with colorful produce, textiles and handiwork. Shopkeepers yelled over one another, advertising their wares and inviting passersby to take a closer look. If not for the surrounding rubble, one could hardly guess that the place had been abandoned until a couple of months before.</p><p>Spotting a familiar silhouette towering over a group of shoppers, Byleth shuffled through the crowd, ducking under heavy canopies and avoiding collision with carts. “Hubert!” She called out, but the man didn’t hear her over the constant chatter. </p><p>Finally, she was close enough to recognize the tea and coffee stall he was standing at. From his hunched posture, she could tell that he was not pleased with whatever the owner was saying. She crossed the narrow alley and pushed to the front.</p><p>“Good afternoon, Hubert, I didn’t expect to meet you here.” She raised her hand in greeting. “I always thought you sent your retainers to shop for you.”</p><p>“Good afternoon.” He breathed. “I usually do, however, coffee is a matter of personal preference. I choose to purchase it myself.”</p><p>She nodded with understanding. “That’s how I feel about repairing my equipment. The blacksmith’s good but only I can tell if that sword is properly balanced.” Her attention shifted to the pungent smell that filled the air, and she inhaled sharply. “Would you mind if I looked around with you? I just thought about getting some beans.” </p><p>“I didn’t know you were partial to coffee,” Hubert propped his chin on his hand, scrutinizing her with his clever green eyes. </p><p>“Oh, no. I’m not,” she clarified. “But one of my officers is, you see. I know of a few blends of tea that he finds tolerable, but I thought I could acquire something more to his liking.”</p><p>“I see.” Hubert looked away. His first instinct was to deny that the Professor wished to cater to him, personally, but her double entendre was too blunt to consider another recipient. Unsure how else to respond, he focused on the sacks filled with beans in different shades of brown. Compared to tea, the selection was hardly diverse, but that only meant each kind was unique. </p><p>“I don’t really know which of these would be best,” Byleth admitted with a grimace. “I believe this officer of mine likes it bitter, but they all seem similar. Could you help me pick?”</p><p>“Yes, but I’m afraid you may be out of luck today,” Hubert answered huskily. Although he would never admit it, her attentiveness flattered him. “It seems the shipments from Dagda have been delayed, and their strong, smoky blend is not available this week. I would recommend waiting until it's back in stock. In the meantime, your officer will have to contend with a substitute...”</p><p>The light in the Professor’s eyes dimmed only so slightly. She stepped back and he thought she was going to leave, but instead, she appeared on his other side, where the crowd was more sparse. She gripped his forearm, causing a jolt of tension to shoot through his body. It wasn’t that he hated being touched, but outside of the battlefield, people typically kept their distance. Byleth, as usual, defied expectations. </p><p>“So you are saying that the best coffee is imported from Dagda?” She tilted her head up.</p><p>“It is what I would recommend for your officer, if he happens to value the strong, bitter aroma.” He explained, playing along. “The beans you can see here come from Brigid and Almyra. The Almyran ones, especially, are popular for their fruity undertones.”</p><p>“You know a lot about this.” She surprised him with one of her rare smiles, as if what he’d just said genuinely pleased her. “So the color of the beans tells you where they come from?” </p><p>Hubert shook his head. “No. Not exactly.” He pointed to the sack with the lightest shade of brown. “Fresh beans need to be roasted before they are drinkable. These were roasted the shortest amount of time, compared to the dark ones over there. Those are also the most bitter.”</p><p>“<em>Dark beans for the dark lord</em>,” Byleth muttered to herself, nodding along. </p><p>“Excuse me?” Hubert leaned towards her, his bangs revealing his usually obscured eye. </p><p>“Ah, nevermind.” The corner of her lips twitched, but she did not smile this time. It left Hubert with a vague impression that he had missed something, but she urged him to continue. </p><p>“On the far end, you can see the grinders. You may ask for your coffee to be ground when you buy it. It saves you the time it would take to do it yourself, but one might say that the taste is fresher if you grind it directly before brewing…” He opened his mouth to share more of his trivia, but Byleth slipped from under his arm, reaching for a cup to smell the beans. Perhaps his small lecture was not as interesting as he’d found it. </p><p>“I like these,” she announced and raised the cup to his face. The scent was sweet, but not floral. There were vibrant notes resembling caramel and honey, and something else he couldn’t pinpoint. He wasn’t sure why, but the smell reminded him of home. Not <em>his </em>home specifically, but an imaginary one, welcoming and warm. The kind of place one wished to return to.</p><p>“If I bought them, would you teach me about brewing?” She sniffed the cup again, visibly content with her discovery. </p><p>The question took him by surprise. He was certain the Professor had only been humoring him with her curiosity, but her interest seemed genuine. </p><p>“I would.” He tried not to sound overly enthusiastic lest she disliked the experience. “The process is not difficult but there are several techniques that result in different flavors. I would presume the officer you mentioned takes his coffee black, which is effective but rather basic. You may find that you prefer yours with a bit of cream or foam.”</p><p>Feeling the shopkeeper’s gaze on him, he looked up. She was watching them, and when their eyes met, she responded with a big, warm smile. He assumed she would then offer to assist them, but instead, she gave him a nod and turned to another customer. </p><p>“It sounds like I may need more than one lesson.” Byleth made a pensive face. “Should I get the beans or have them ground? You said it was better to grind them  later, yes?” When the adjacent shop attracted a larger crowd, Byleth had wedged herself between Hubert and the stall. Now when she turned to face him, their chests brushed briefly and she felt the warmth radiating from his body. The heat of the market must have been taking a toll on him under that dark uniform, and she chided herself for delaying him with questions. </p><p>“Beans. You might, ah, I will show you how to grind them.” Realizing how close they suddenly were, Hubert stepped aside, which finally drew the right kind of attention from the vendor.</p><p>“Have you made your decision, sir?” </p><p>“Yes,” he answered, although the Professor’s interruption distracted him from even considering his options. He pointed at the sack with the darkest beans, the same one he’d previously shown to Byleth. He vaguely recalled that they originated from Brigid, which meant they were more mellow than his usual fare, but with no trace of the Almyran sweetness. </p><p>The woman put the pouch in front of him and tilted her head towards the Professor. Once again, her lips curved into that familiar, fond smile. “And for your lady?” </p><p>“She’s not…” The cogs in his head turned momentarily. Now it was clear why she kept looking at him, at <em>them, </em> like that. </p><p>It would be proper to clarify the obvious misunderstanding, but playing along seemed that much simpler. Weighing his choices, Hubert glanced at Byleth, who was now bent over the shelf with teas, poking her nose into the jars. What were the odds? </p><p>“She’s not very fond of bitter tastes.” He blurted out. The response brought about a wave of satisfaction and guilt. Since he was already accustomed to enduring the latter, he would allow himself to savor the former, if only for a little while. “The caramel one over there, please.”</p><p>Noticing movement near the bag she selected, Byleth straightened up and waved to the shopkeeper. “Could I get some as well, when you’re already here?”</p><p>“This is for you,” the woman smiled. “Your <em> beau </em> over there asked for it.” She tied a knot on the bag and returned to Hubert, who suddenly seemed particularly preoccupied with one of the straps that crossed his chest. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“What did you tell her?” Byleth nudged him under the ribs as they walked away from the stall.</p><p>“Nothing,” Hubert sighed. His voice was as toneless as usual, but his ears were glowing red. “She made an assumption. I decided not to correct her in the interest of saving time.” </p><p>“Saving time?!” She hollered. “Hubert! I shop there every other week! And so do you!”</p><p>The Professor sounded livid. He had, of course, overstepped. It was her right to be angry. Even so, her reaction stung a little more than he let on. He wondered if she would have responded differently, had it been another student. </p><p>“You are right. I should go back and explain.” He stopped in his tracks, dropping his gaze. “Here’s your coffee.” He pressed the bag into her hands. His vision of their future time together shattered, but he was sure she could find somebody else to teach her. </p><p>Byleth shook her head. “Hey now. It’s all right.” Her features softened and the scowl was replaced by a soft smile. “Hubert.” She made his name sound gentle and sweet. “I was only teasing you. I’m not mad.” </p><p>The big man shuffled his feet, refusing to meet her eyes. Despite her reassurance, he did not look one bit relieved. There was no way he would admit that her mock rejection felt very, very real. </p><p>“What’s wrong?” She stepped closer and poked his chin with her index finger. He let her tilt his head, but did not look up. His cool eyes were unusually deep and tender. </p><p>“It’s nothing,” he responded solemnly. The moment passed, and he was once again safe behind the shield of his composure. With nothing to add, he moved past the Professor and continued his walk to the monastery. There were a number of tasks he had to finish before the end of the day.</p><p>“Hubert, wait!” </p><p>He heard her quickened footsteps behind him and paused to let her catch up. Now it sounded like he had upset her with his antics which, without doubt, would leave his liege displeased. </p><p>Byleth crossed his path and stopped in front of him. “Look, I don’t understand what just happened, and I know your mind is as sturdy a fortress as Arianrhod so I won’t try to force it, but I had a good time today.”</p><p>He wanted to believe it, he really did. </p><p>She jiggled the coffee bean bag in front of him. “I learned a lot too. I hope you didn’t change your mind about teaching me more.”</p><p>There were two answers to that: one that felt right, and one that he knew was right. The latter was on the tip of his tongue but he couldn’t muster the courage to spit it out. “May I think about it?” He asked instead. </p><p>The Professor nodded, although it was hard to miss the disappointment in her eyes. It was almost comical how they both could be disappointed in him, each in their own way.</p><p>“You know, that officer of mine,” she chanced, briefly gazing back towards the market, “I think he is rather charming when he opens up a little. Even if he blunders sometimes.” </p><p>Hubert smiled despite himself. Maybe her words did not banish his hurt, but they helped his hope flourish. For now, he needed to be alone, but he would recuperate. And try again. </p>
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